Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1887-12-12
MESSAGE AND CRITICS.
The Presidents Pronuncismento Seen
Through Democratic Glasses,

Through Democratic Glasses.
EDS. REcoRD-UNIoN 1t was to be ex-
pected that so important public document
as the Presidents recent message would
receive general attention; it was not surpris-
ing that it should be criticised and unfavor-
ably commented upon by those holding
different views; but the determined effort
to misrepresent the Presidents utterances,
and the persistent Justification of his views
/ by the Republican press, is as astonishing
as it is scandalous and disgraceful. Nothing
better ought to be expected, perhaps, from
the followers Of the "Plumed Knight"
when their leader FASTENED, with indecent
precipitation, to attack and demolish the
Presidents views and recommendations
before he knew with certainty what they
were. He was so anxious to get the ear of
the American people in advance of other
candidates for the Republican nomination
Tor the Presidency, that, upon no better
authority than mere Geographic abstract
OF the message-which was necessarily i'm
perfect and obviously incorrect-he hast
ened to be interviewed, and dispatched at
once his corker" by telegraph to his organ
in New York. Having thus put himself in
the forefront of the Republican party, and
stolen march on John Sherman by STRAIT
egy, and having sounded the keynote, fair
play could no more be expected from
his followers than stream could be ex-
| pected to rise above its source
The people are told that Mr.. Clevelands
policy Will ruin the country; that he ad-
vocates free trade; that if his policy pre-
walls, our manufacturing interests will be
ruined; that American laborers are to be
compelled to compete with foreign labor at
rplnpp6 onH IN, ln 4
death. In short, that the whole country is
to be rairoaded to the "demnition bow
vows" Neither Mr.. Blaine nor his lieu
tenants quote from the Presidents message
| to sustain their charges, for the very excel
| lent reason that they can find nothing in it
to suit their purposes. They prefer 10 set
up man of straw of their own making,
label him President Cleveland" and
then proceed to mock at and Geride and
| spit upon him.
Now, what are the facts? The country is
being taxed beyond the needs of the Gov
eminent, and large surplus is accumu-
| latingln the National Treasury. Heretofore
the surplus has been used TO redeem the
bonds OF the Government and thus reduce
the national debt, but all the bonds which
could be taken up at the option of the Gov
eminent have been redeemed, and nothing
! is left to absorb the surplus which continues
to accumulate. On the first of the present
month this surplus amounted to $55, 2lS,-
! ST. 10, and the estimate of the Treasury
Department is that-on the first of June
next-it viii amount to $4,000, 900. I'm
| less Congress resorts to wild or extrayagant
measures to use up this surplus, and pro-
| vldes for the reduction of taxation il must
continue to increase, and the money which
should be in the channels of trade will be
locked up in the Governments vaults
inns Is an alarming state of affairs and
must speedily result in a financial crisis
widespread ruin and universal distress. un-
less measures are adopted to stop this
boarding and prevent it in future. The
revenues OF the Government are derived
from two sources-a tariff levied upon i'm
ported goods and taxes upon tobacco and
spirituous liquors. The President does not
| recommend that the latter should be re-
| leased from taxation, because, he saws
they are not, strictly speaking, necessaries,
ana there IS no just cause of complaint on
the part OF the consumers of those articles
he fayors rather readjustment of the
tariff on imports. He would reduce the
| revenues by radical reduction of the
duties imposed upon raw material used in
manufactures, or its free importation nv
enlarging the free list by including MANY
articles not produced in the country. and
by making such reductions in duties as can
safely be done without injury to manufact-
urers or Importing the interest of the labor
ing class. Particular attention is invited Ia
his language in this connection. He saws;
" In readjustment of our tariff the in
terests OF American labor engaged in man.
ufactures should be carefully considered as
well as the preservation of our msnufact-
| ures. 1t may be called protection. or by
| any other name, but relief from the hard
ships and dangers of our present tariff
laws should be devised with especial pre-
! caution against imperiling the existence of
our manufacturing Interests"
He emphasizes this by referring to it
again in the following language
But the reduction of taxation de-
manded should be so measured as not to ne
cesS'tate on justify either the loss of EMPLOY
| nent by the Uorkingmdn nor the LcSseni1l0 of
| has WdgeS, and the profits still remaining To
| the manufacturer, after necessary @ liiust
| ment should furnish no excuse for the sdcri
fee Of the interests Of his employees in either
their opportunity to i00rk or the diRinution of
their compensation"
In the face of this plain language Mr..
Blaine and his satellites hold up their
hands in holy horror, and declare that the
| President is the enemy of the manufact.
urers ana the workingmen. Pah
If the policy of the President should be
carried out, the manufacturers and workers
would be benefited rather than injured
| The tree introduction of the raw material
would give tremendous impetus to man
ufacturing. The manufacturer would be
able 10 produce bis goods at cost rs much
| less than at present as the amount of the
| tariff taken from the raw material. He
would, therefore, be able to pay better
! wages to his employees and still make as
| plnph nrOtIt &c ba l.. j
pay them the same wages he now does and
make greater profit, or sell his goods at a
| less price to the consumer. More Ihan
this; it would enable many to enlarge their
trade by successful competition in foreign
markets. But this is not all. The intro
| duction of the raw material free of duty
would revive ship building, now driven al
most out of existence by the high tariff,
and thus be the means of giving profitable
| employment to millions of capital and
thousands of men.
All the gable INDUCED in about free
trade is unadulterated rot. There is not a
| line in the Presidents message, nor an idea
conveyed. which savorS Of free trade. No
candid, sensible man will pretend that
there is, nor can the American people be
| deceived by the hypocritical pretensions of
demagogues to the contrary The English
press has been misled by an imperfect syn
| opSiS OF the message III connection. with
/ Mr.. Blaines remarkable interview" but
upon receipt OF the full message they will
| discover their mistake and whistle differ
ent tune.
In conclusion, Messrs. Editors, permit me
| to say that / ana amazed at the conduct of
the RECORD UNION and the. Bee. Since
when did they become the champions of
protection? If my memory is not at fault,
! the RECORD UNION has been at infinite
pains to educate its readers in the doctrine
and principles of free trade. | seem to re-
member reading some very able articles in
its columns which preached the gospel of
free trade. As for The Bee it is a radical
| ree-trader. II wants taxes of all kinds
abolished except Lpon land, and would ad-
NIT everything produced on the face Of the
globe free of duty. Still these two organs
of public opinion are displeased with the
President because, they say, he is in favor
of free trade. How they can look their
patrons in the face without shamefacedness
and confusion, is more than can under
stand. ]. L, LINrHIct1M.
*rhis proposition of poitico- financial legerde-
main has no parallel in the philosophy OF mod
ern thought except in the injunction of the in
dulgent mother, which has fortunately been